Picking a Genre

In trying to come up with what genre to do for my film opening, I have now limited it to two options—horror and drama. I have come up with somewhat of an idea for what I could do with each genre (for horror, something witch-related, and drama, maybe a high school type of film which is what I researched) and am currently still in that brainstorming process. To help me in understanding each genre's conventions as well as overall, I have researched a little on each.

Horror

    

    Horror films typically work by exploring the bad or dark sides of humanity or even focus on something supernatural. They often use foreshadowing and try to evoke a sense of fear and shock and frighten audiences by getting their hearts pumping. They definitely range from being extreme and disgusting to more calm, but they all aim to actively engage their audience and build suspense. To build suspense and evoke this fear, many horror films have similarities that are considered the conventions of the genre. Some of these conventions are the emotions they evoke (discussed above); others are more choices made within the actual movie. In researching the genre, I have divided the conventions I found below.

Mise-en-scène: Horror films often use mise-en-scène elements to help in evoking fear. For set design and setting, often horror films use either a cluttered space or the complete opposite of the spectrum somewhere isolated, as they both help in evoking that scary feeling. For color palettes, usually dark or muted tones are used to help build on the darkness in the feelings of the piece. Horror films often use props as some type of symbolic part of the film, which helps in distinguishing films from one another. Lighting plays a vital role in horror films in creating a dark atmosphere or in revealing/concealing a horror element. Often low-key lighting is used, flickering, and/or both bright and extremely dark lights.

Sound: Sound is the most vital role of a horror film. It has been proven that without sound, horror films are not as effective in giving a scare. Sounds (both diegetic and non-diegetic) are manipulated to help add suspense and fear into a film.

Shots/Angles/Composition: A variety of shot types, angles, and composition techniques are used to manipulate perspective and add to a film. Dutch angles, extreme close-ups, low angles, and tracking shots are all common in horror films. They work to make characters look vulnerable or powerful, and they can help distort a film. 

Example:

Annabelle (2014)

        Annabelle (2014) is a great example of a well known horror film. Many of the conventions discussed above are utilized in this film. Muted and dark colors, low-key lighting, and a prop (the doll) who is also a character in the film.

    

Drama

    On the other hand, drama films typically work by being more narrative and telling a fictional story through exploring human emotion and complexities. Films within the drama genre are focused mostly on an approach that develops character. Often the genre relies on real-life situations that connect to its audience. They tend to remain somewhat realistic and immerse the audience in a story or character's world. They are filled with emotional depth and try to evoke a wide range of emotions, including sadness, joy, anger, fear, and more. Many drama films have similarities that are considered to be the conventions of the genre (just as horror has conventions). 

    

    Story: Dramas are very versatile when it comes to technique. They vary depending on the emotion the producer is trying to evoke. For my own film opening, I plan on doing a drama more centered around a high school experience rather than some dramatic tragedy, so that's what my research here will focus on. These types of drama films often use character-driven storytelling, strong protagonists, and a lot of emotion to help create whatever mood they want from audiences. 

    

    Technique: As far as technique goes, in sound, often diegetic sound is used more often than non-diegetic sounds (but narration is used often). In mise-en-scène, costume is carefully chosen to help fit the characters in the film and often changes to reflect character development. Close-ups can be used to help emphasize emotion, and scenes are often shot in long takes. In editing, shot/counter shot is frequently used to help develop emotion as well as over-the-shoulder shots.
    
Example:

The DUFF (2014)

    

    The DUFF (2014) is a great example of a high school drama film. The costuming changes as the protagonist changes and is a result of her confidence boost in parts of the film. There are several shots that close-ups to the protagonist's face to emphasize her emotion and anger as she gets into conflict. Additionally, the film is centered around a dramatized yet realistic plot, which is seen very often in the drama genre. 

Application to my Film Opening:

    After researching all about genre, I still am not completely sure what genre to pick. I think for my idea for my horror piece about witches and witchcraft, I could really rely on sound editing and mise-en-scène to make the film opening very interesting. For drama, I could try to create a more lighthearted and relatable piece, which may be easier to film, as being a teenager myself, I could personally relate and use some of my own things for mise-en-scène elements in the film. I guess only time will tell what I end up choosing, but for now I will keep on thinking!